Seventy-one patients 71 (36%) had diabetes and 176 (88%) had hyperlipidemia. Of the 200 patients, 147 (73.5%) had symptomatic hypogonadism as defined by calculated free testosterone (less than 6.5 ng/dL) and positive response to Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male (ADAM) questionnaire.

The expected rate of hypogonadism in the age-matched general population is 10%-15%, according to previous studies. In addition, 46 (31%) of patients with symptomatic hypogonadism based on CFT values would be considered normal by total testosterone measurements.

Approximately 76% of patients with moderate to severe ED had either failed or not undergone any treatment. Of the men with moderate to severe ED, 47% had never undergone treatment with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. Among those who did try PDE5 inhibitors, the drugs worked unsuccessfully in 87% of men and successfully in 13%.

Dr. Köhler's group compared the cardiac patients, by age group, with age-group-matched participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among individuals aged 40-59, the cardiac patients had a 3.2 times increased risk of ED compared with NHANES patients. Among those aged 60-69 and 70 years and older, cardiac patients had a 40% and 20% increased risk, respectively.

Results showed that the cardiac patients were 6 times more likely than their counterparts in the general (NHANES) population to be hypogonadal.

Each 1 ng/dL decrease in calculated free testosterone predicted a 15% increase in LUTS as measured by International Prostate Symptom Score.

“In summary, cardiology clinic patients likely are negatively affected by one if not several urologic problems,” Dr. Köhler told Renal & Urology News. “This is likely due to overlapping mechanisms of poor blood flow [to the heart and genitourinary organs], metabolic syndrome sequalae, and common risk factors such as obesity, high lipids and smoking history.”